Hi All,

It was another stellar day at the AGU. We began the morning with the poster on Utah's regional seismic networks given by Walter Arabasz of the University of Utah. We learned alot about the seismic risk in Utah and how new installations of 20 units last year and another 20 this year will bring the high risk area into better focus. They have been far behind CA in technology and in time will make strides ahead. Arabasz was very informative and quite informal, and wonderfully down to earth.

While standing in the same area I came across Seismologist Seth Moran from the AVO in Alaska. I had a phone interview with him quite some time ago and it was pleasant to meet him and say hello.

We spent more time today going through the exhibits and I got quite a few bound books for reading in the months ahead. Generosity in providing information is rather the keynote to the exhibits. We also took a tour of the posters presented on Education. Most of the posters were for teachers looking for educational opportunities, while we were looking more for outreach in education for children and adults.

Our last call for the day was to sit in on a lecture series on the Long Valley Calera. This was very interesting and informative. Our uptake of the presentation was that the presenters saw an increase in magma under the dome in 1998 and a leveling off in 99 and 00. However, they feel there will be a decline in the future. Don and I both feel this is a little presumtious in that at any time this condition can change and there is no data currently to support their positions. Our reasons for thinking this is that there were two long period quakes (aseismic slips) indicating a possible injection of new magma this year.

Now we two aren't all work and no play. After having breakfast for lunch today at The Clouds Restaurant, we took a departure from work and took two turns on the carousel. Riding horse by horse, we laughed just like children and felt renewed by the experience. While I hung on with a death grip, I could tell Don was an old hand at this, because he took the no hands approach.

The weather today was perfect. Clear, warm, sunny and really felt like springtime. I even got a bit of a sunburn on my face from sitting outside during lunch.

For me this was a great experience. I did meet three people I wanted so much to see and for Don, he talked to everyone and in several languages. His life experiences from living abroad were in good use these last few days.

We won't be attending any further sessions due to other commitments, but will remember a convention where we learned much and were graciously welcomed by the science community.

From two tired soles...Petra & Don